NFL – Rookie Sam Bradford key in Rams win over Patriots

Sam Bradford knows well how to handle the pressure. At least he knows very well how to handle himself in the field when the pressure is on. Especially for a guy who knows that his team has just made a 50 million-dollar inversion on him. Bradford has just made his official debut with the Saint Louis Rams and he past the test with flying colors no other then against the New England Patriots in the Ram’s 35-36 victory in their preseason game.

The Oklahoma University graduate managed to complete 15 of 22 for 189 yards in his first game as a starter. He completed 2 touchdown passes. He made some good plays along the game. And he even managed to manage some intelligent throwaways. The thing is that he not only completed easy passes, he even went in an took some risks, and they paid off.

NCAA success does not guarantee much when it comes to the pros. But on a personal note I have to confess that it came as something of a surprise what happen to both Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy once they made it to the pros. I might not be an expert, but back in the days when they were in college, playing for the best two teams in the Big 12, it was hard, very hard for me to believe that once they made it into the pros, Bradford, coming from quite a successful career with the sooners was going to be worth 10 times, that’s right, 10!, more then his counterpart over at the Longhorns.

Sure, it happens every year. For every Peyton Manning and Carson Palmer (who made it into the NFL as the No.1 draft) there are plenty of Tim Couch and JaMarcus Russell’s to prove along that taking on the No. 1 draft will mean a multimillion dollar bet that can either get you a Vince Lombardi Trophy or a series of financial mishaps from which it is very hard to recover. Uh-um: anyone said Cleveland Browns and the Raiders?

The regular season begins on September 9th with the Minnesota Vikings making a visit to the defending Champions the New Orleans Saints. As of press time, the Saints are a -4